Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-05-27

else the mixture Will be STICKY when dry,
and IL too much of either gum or sugar
be used the ink will become too thick to
flow well.
1t is well-knOwn fact among railroad
men that on railroads running north and
south the west rails wear out the faster
that five rails will wear out on the west
side of the track while three are doing
service on the east side.
I 1t may DE new to many that the word
"ssrcophsgus" means literally fesh-eater,
and was applied TO coffiaS from the peCul-
isr kind of stone of which the ancient
Roman cOffirs were made. Tlis stone is
supposed to have been g species of lime
stone, md it is claimed had the property
necessary entirely TO consume q body,
with the exception of the teeth, in forty
days; hence the name.
The Invention of g new optical glass is
said to be creating sensation in the Ger
man scientific world. The glass, owing
I TO its great refractory power, promises
to be of marked influence in practical
optics, iuasmuch as it Will sdmit of the
production of lenses OF short focal width,
such as it has hitherto been impossible 10
obtain. For microscopic photography it
will be of the greatest importance.
The diameter OF locomotive driving
wheels has been greatly increased to
produce augmented speed. The largest
yet noted are for mammoth engine on
one of the French roads. This Iocomo-
tive has six coupled wheels eight and
quarter feet in diameter, and the ten
/ der and cars are 10 have wheels Of the
same dimensions, the calculations being
that with such train q speed of about
seventy-eig1t miles an hour can be OBJ
tanned. The cars will be swung inside,
and between several pairs of wheels.
NJ. Grand Fury has propounded g
theory that coal was originally g liquid
generated by the decomposition of inferior
vegetation in so atmosphere highly
charged with carbOniC acid. The carbon
OF the jelly-like mass thus formed, after
passing through various transformations
into as 3halt, petroleum, bltumen, etc,
finally assumed the form of coal. The
author cites various facts connected with
the occurrence Of coal which, he thinks
are better explained on his theory than by
the ususl one.
Sir Emerson Tennent long ago called
attention to the power of the Cocoanut
palm to conduct lightning, and the sub
|
Five hundred of these trees were struck
on single plantation during asucCession
of thunder storms in April, 1869. But
the trees suffer terribly from the effects,
for, however slightly they may be
touched, they are sure to die. Even if
only the edges of the leaves are singed,
or only few of them turned brown, the
! tree will in the end wither gradually and
PERISH Chicago Times.
The test of bayorets in the Austrian
army Is more minute than that applied in
any other country. First, the blade is
placed in machine ad hoe and bent in
| both senses to given extent. Secondly,
| blow is struck with the fat of both sides
on block of hard wood. Thirdly, blow
! is struck with the edge and sfterward
! with the blunt side also on block of hard
wood both OF these tests are made by
! special machines. FourthIy, a few bayo-
nets in each lot are broken, so that the
rough surface of the metal may be exam
ined. Filthy, the dimensions of each
weapon are tested by comparison
with models. a wood ire is always
/ used to temper the metal.
Coal is never employed. The metal is
heated until it assumes dark red color.
| Ii is then cooled in river or rain water.
! The following process is also in use; The
blades are placed in iron cases, each blade
| being covered with refuse of horn. The
cases are closed with clay, and remain in
the fire until the contents get cherry red
They aTe then withdrawn, opened and
the blades are thrown into water to cool
and afterwards brushed. The moment
for withdrawing the cases from the fire is
asCertained by means of test nail that
can be put in 8nd taken out as the process
goes on.
The new paving material, "grano-
metallic stone," the invention of Mr.. J.
H. Bryant, of London, is said by Iron to
be composed of blsst-furnsce Stag and
granite, which are crushed, chemically
treated and mixed with Portland cement.
These ingredients are brought to pasty
consistency with an alkaline solution
when laid. It possesses the quality Of
always being rough, thus affordiDg q firm
foothold for horses. 1t hos been sue
cessfulIy subjected TO tests which both
natural and artificial stones have been
unable to withstand. 1t is, moreover,
highly refractory, and is thus useful as a
lining for kilns, and especially valuable
in the construction OF fire-prOOf buildings.
4uGIG are live GleClIlC uCdullRUL5 III use
on the Cleveland, Akron and Columbus
Railway, which the president of the road
declares make an annual saving to the
company of not less than $50, 900, probably
good deal more, by preventing acct
dents. The gentleman said that the
lights could be seen at night seven miles
if objects did not ObstruCt vision.
Numerous incidents were related.
An engineer saw st night, by aid of
the light and reflector, horse on a
bridge mile away. The narrator had
read a newspaper at night, unbelievable
as it seemed, by aid Of the light nearly or
quite three miles away. An engineer
who could not see a tic or other obstruct
ton on the track half or three-qsarters of
mile aWaylby the electric headlight had
no business on g locomotive. An cleo
trio headlight and apparatus costs about
$500. The little dynamo is driven by sn
Independent little engine on the boiler of
the locomotive back of the sand dome.
The pitas plant of Honduras invites the
enterprise Of American capital and Yankee
invention. Mr.. Burchard, our Consul,
reports that this pltas plant, which has
never been cultivated, grows spontane-
ously and in apparently inexhsustible
quantities by the margin of every river
and lagoon, and, indeed, anywhere below
the altitude of 1000 feet. 1t can be had
for the cost of cutting. The fiber is sus-